A San Francisco interaction designer Joshua Kaufman was able to retrieve his stolen Macbook using the remarkable security app Hidden combined with the publicity powers of Tumblr.

According to Hidden:

When you activate tracking, Hidden will locate your stolen computer anywhere on the planet, collect photos of the thief and screen shots of the computer in use.(We also collect lots of nerdy network information, but we won’t bore you with the details!)

The Hidden team will also help you work with the police when recovering your stolen computer.

Kaufman used the Hidden app to do just that. He was able to identify the thief by taking pictures with the laptop’s camera and further identify him with screencaps of personal information entered into the stolen computer. Kaufman devoted a Tumblr blog thiguyhasmymacbook to images captured by the Hidden app and exactly one internet meme cycle later, San Francisco police apprehended the perpetrator.